Forks Not Just Utensils at the Kitchen Table
by rrolin
Summary: A/U - Bella was wisked away from Forks at the age of four under unsettling circumstances. Now, tweleve years later, she is forced back to a home she doesn't remember and a town where nothing is how it intially looks. Bella/Edward Jacob?
1. Prologue

Forks – Not Just A Utensil

By Rolin

A/U

Standard Disclaimer = The great Stephanie Meyer created all things Twilight, I am just playing because darn it – its a long time until the DVD is released.

Prologue

I don't remember all of it exactly, my time in Forks, pre-divorce, pre-mom and Bella on the run, jumping from one hot sunny destination to the other with no explanation except clouds and cold made my mother sad. In fact, I only have one fragmented memory that could be summed up in five objects:

Yellow paint - my last memory was my mother and I standing in our small dark kitchen, while the rain drummed on the ceiling above us, painting the cabinets to surprise daddy for his birthday. I was maybe four, but it stuck in my head because I was dripping in sticky paint, having accidentally stepped in the paint bucket causing me to fall butt first into the paint tray, the cabinets looked like crap and yet I was beyond excited to show my daddy his birthday surprise.

White towel – I don't remember exactly how it happened, but my father had appeared at the doorway of our kitchen, silently holding a white kitchen towel to his neck. To be honest, sometimes when I think of that towel it wasn't white, it was red and the air smelled like an old penny.

Car keys – There were car keys on a tacky green rabbit's foot that my father always carried in his back pocket. That day, the day of the remarkable five objects, he had pulled them from his sheriff's uniform and tossed them to my mother. He had said to her, in an odd, undaddy like voice, "Renee, plan b." He might have yelled, I don't remember exactly because my eyes had been so fixated on that rabbit's foot sailing across the kitchen into my mother's yellow streaked hands. I remember thinking how sad it was that daddy's prized lucky charm was going to get paint on it. I wondered if it would ever look the same.

Hello Kitty Pink Suitcase – I don't think I ever saw this suitcase before that day, but like magic my mother had yanked it out of the hall closet, almost panicky, and handed, no pushed it at me. I didn't know why, but at that moment I didn't care. I loved Hello Kitty.

Mystery Neighbor – Okay, maybe a neighbor isn't exactly an object, but I remember standing at the car, where mother had instructed me to go, with my new prized Hello Kitty suitcase, listening to her cry my father's name in the house when a man had come out of the woods, seemingly out of thin air. I don't remember a face, or a car he might have drove up in, but I remember the stranger with the white hands had opened the car door and lifted me in the back. Without a word, he had hoisted the Hello Kitty suitcase next to me before buckling me into my seatbelt.

He had told me, solemnly "You will be good for your mom."

Silly question. "Yep."

He had put his freakishly icy cold hands on my head, and I remember flinching internally, there were just no words on how cold his hands were.

"You did not cause this Bella, you should not ever feel obliged to fix it. Remember that, if nothing else."

I had no idea what he had meant, so I nodded.

Then my mother hand came out of the house, ran out of the house, with her own suitcase and the man with the pale hands shut my door. Mom started the car and I turned to my side window to wave anxiously to my daddy, because that's what we did when we left.

He usually was at the window to wave back but today, in this memory, he did not.

Only the man waved, the man with the freakishly cold hands.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Charlie, I thought the fucking point of Plan B was to get and keep Bella safely out of your precious Forks."

Opening the door of Renee's beloved newest acquisition, shitty apartment 3D, I stopped in sudden surprise.

Charlie?? Had I really heard my mother say (okay choke out) the name Charlie? As in mysteriously absentee father Charlie? As in if you so mention his name Bella I will freak out and lock myself in the bathroom Charlie? As in kiss me on the top of my head and tell me I was his whole world Charlie?

I couldn't believe it. I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't heard it so clearly with my own two ears.

Should I laugh? Should I cry?

Turning back to the front door I carefully twisted the brass knob and eased the door shut, holding my breath in the process, and attempted to retreat deeper into the hallway and out of her line of vision. Trust me, in this apartment (and its a pretty loose interpretation to call this hole in the wall an apartment) hiding was nearly impossible. Still, thankfully, my mother was being her usual oblivious self and our bathroom was a mere three feet away.

Something told me to stay out of her sight.

"Charlie, Plan B did not include creepy Billy Black stalking our every move."

Stalking? Billy Black? What I wouldn't give to me on the other extension right now.

"What do you mean you changed your mind? Charlie Swan you were the one that said this folklore shit had merit and now I wonder if it was just lets fool gullible Renee so I don't have to be a family man anymore. Right? And now. . .now your feeling guilty and want a chance with Bella, right? Now that she is practically an adult let's swoop in and play Dad. _RIGHT?_"

My mother was practically hysterical at this point, her voice was rising higher by the moment and I could hear her continuous finger drumming, which was always a tell tale sign or her agitation.

My mother's finger drumming always reminded me of rain hitting a metal rooftop, like Charlie had, in Forks.

"I don't care what the divorce judgment said. . .you can't see Bella and it will be over my dead body before she ever sets one foot in Forks, Washington. We had a deal, I held up my portion you better FUCKING HOLD UP YOURS!"

I shrunk against the door as my mother slammed the phone onto the receiver, loud enough to make me wonder if she cracked the cheap base off the wall. My mother, despite all her faults, wasn't someone to swear, ever. She also wasn't someone to loose her cool and the fact that she yelled at Charlie? Renee Swan never said nice things about Charlie, but notably all these years and no money, she never said anything bad about him either.

She never said anything at all about my father.

Charlie.

God, after all this time, my heart ached at the thought of him. Charlie, the father I barely remembered but I mourned almost daily.

"Plan B my ass." she muttered under her breath, loud enough for me to hear from my hiding spot.

I heard the distinguishable sound of her roughly grabbing her keys out of the pottery bowl by the door, the keys clinking together in irritation, before throwing the door open.

Plan B? That I remembered. Folklore? Billy Black? Stalking? That I didn't remember.

The door shut hard enough to make the fillings in my molars shake.

Exhale.

I had been holding my breath the whole time. Easing open the door, I crept out of the bathroom, which was quite stupid and overly cautious considering I was the only one home.

My hands were clammy and I ran them down the length of my jeans.

Did my dad after twelve years want to see me?

My eyes drifted aimlessly against the dank brown walls of my kitchen before resting on the phone. The phone that just moments ago more then likely held Charlie's call.

Surprisingly, I found myself almost sprinting to the phone.

I gently picked it up off the receiver and ran my hand along the sleek black plastic backing.

Without thinking of why I should care, I flipped the phone over.

Caller I.D.

Bam.

There was Charlie's number staring at me in the face. I had thought of looking for this exact phone number a million times, typing all the information I had in Google but never finding the nerve to hit the submit button.

Aimlessly I wound my finger around a loose strand of hair, toying with the notion of dialing the number. My mother would be pissed off, but I had a month before that bill and the subsequent shit hit the fan.

Charlie.

I shouldn't want to.

I shouldn't do that to my mother.

But, rationalizing, I tried to convince myself I could call and just hang up if he answered, see if he sounded the same, see if his voice could make me hate him as much as I should for abandoning me, for abandoning us.

Closing my eyes, I dialed the number.

Stupid Bella.

One ring. . .

Two rings. . .

"Renee?"

My stomach knotted.

"Renee, have you reconsidered?"

"Daddy?"

Silence.

My now knotted stomach dropped to my knees.

"Bells?"


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Twilight is Stephanie Meyers, I am just harmlessly playing.

Chapter 3

AHHHHHHHHHHHH!

There were no words to coherently express what I am feeling at the current moment. If words were colors there would be lots of grays surrounding me, engulfing me.

"Isabella?"

My father sounded worried, tense and better than I ever imagined. Just hearing his deep voice brought a flood of memories, memories I had no clear pictures of before but now saw in their full glory, flashing through my mind like old home movies. Happy memories, memories where my mother actually smiled and my father, my father was actually there and not a subject I could not talk about, the white elephant in the room.

"Isabella, is your mother there?"

I shook my head. I'm on the phone and I shook my stupid head back and forth like a toddler. I knew it was idiotic, gotta love the visual answers over the phone, and yet I still couldn't connect my brain to my stunned mouth. I was much like the kid opening a Christmas present he always wanted and never dreamed he could ever get, stunned into stupidity and grateful beyond comprehension.

I don't hate Charlie. That surprisingly random conviction shot through my head with certainty. I may never get my mouth to work so that I could talk to him but I knew for a fact that I didn't hate him.

"I take that as a no. Eavesdropping? I take it Renee is as observant and vigilant as she always was."

He sounded humored, a dry sarcastic humor that would have been slightly offensive if he wasn't who he was. Normally I was my mother's biggest defender, but there were so many more important things to accomplish at this moment.

"Do. . .do you want to see me?"

My mouth, surprise surprise it does exists, stuttered out the million dollar question. I guess depending on his answer would decide how this conversation would go from this point.

If he said no I would just hang up the phone and accept my life to hot weather, shit hole apartments and a semi-instable mother.

Silence . . . again.

"Yes. . .and no."

Yes and no. Did my father just really just say yes and no in answering whether he wanted to see me.

"You _don't _want to see me?"

I sensed I was growing just as hysterical as my mother, but what kind of bullshit answer was that from a father who hasn't seen his daughter in twelve years. A daughter was just moments ago he was fighting so hard to see. At least I thought so hard to see. Was I wrong? Did he not want to see me? Had my imagination got the best of me?

I heard a deep (defeated?) sigh on the other end of the phone, stopping my self rant. I also heard a steady muted drumming behind his sigh. Rain on the rooftop, I could bet my life on that.

"Bella I do want to see you again. I need to see you again."

"Great?"

"But I promised your mother I wouldn't and she isn't wrong to want to hold me to that promise."

Cryptic much?

"Do I get a say in this matter?"

This was answered by a chuckle on the other end of the extension.

"Bells, I've missed you kid. I never got to thank you properly for the yellow kitchen cabinets."

Yellow cabinets. Ugh.

"You never got to say good-bye either. But you could change that, right?"

"Yeah kid, I suppose I could."

I smiled.

A knock sounded at the door.

"Dad, can you hold on? There is someone here."

A sharp intake of breath sounded on Charlie's end. "Bella, are you expecting anyone?"

Parental, how oddly refreshing, I thought, however I imagined in could get old, quick.

"Didn't mom tell you, she's a super of a building, a crappy building. There isn't a day I don't expect someone knocking at our door complaining about something. Likely air conditioning, its like one hundred and two today and I don't think there is a working conditioner in the whole joint."

"Bella I would feel a whole lot better, especially now, if you didn't answer that door, at least wait until Renee's home."

Okay, old already. Maybe I could have a _short_ visit with Charlie. Just enough to get this Dad craving out of my system. Maybe get a few explanations of why Renee left and what the hell was Plan B. I mean really, it sounded all spy and shit, not exactly normal parent talk.

"Charlie, it's really not a big deal."

Ignoring his warning, I crossed the apartment to the door. The only thing I ran a risk of opening this door was being verbally assaulted by some low life with a filthy mouth. I'm sure Charlie would be horrified, small town life and all, but it would be just another day in the bad part of Santa Fe. Just another Tuesday.

"Bella, please."

Opening the door, I cringed slightly realizing my gaff of not checking the peep hole. Okay that was dumb but considering my state of mind at the moment I could allow myself the small mistake.

"Bella, is that Charlie?"

Jumping back I confoundedly stared at the most amazing gold eyes standing on the other side of my door. They were intense and I had no idea who they belonged to, but I numbly nodded my head up and down. You just didn't lie to eyes like this, it seemed like a sin.

The almost familiar looking eyes were attached to the most gorgeous guy I had ever seen and greedily I let my eyes scan the smooth planes of his perfect face. I couldn't help but think this was the type of guy you just didn't see frequenting a building like this. This was the type of guy young and old woman alike drooled over in magazines but never encountered in real life.

"Bella this is going to sound strange coming from someone you don't know, but I have to ask you to please hang up that phone. We don't have much time." His velvety voice, calm, hypnotic made me realize I have been ignoring my dad, who was screaming about something, his voice reverberating the speaker at my ear.

I just couldn't concentrate on Charlie right now staring at this. . .this God amongst men.

"Excuse me."

Without word I watched a hand, a pale hand rise to my ear and wrap around my own hand, which clutched the phone.

This hand was cold – freezing cold – freakishly cold.

I watched dumbly as this hand worked silently, unwrapping my fingers around the phone. I couldn't move so numbly watch as this hand, this icy hand, free the phone from my grasp. Without word, I watched this hand hang up on my father.

"Bella my name is Edward Cullen and you have to come with me, right now."


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to the Stephanie Meyer

Chapter 4

"Scream Bella, scream."

Blinking my eyes rapidly, I forced myself to concentrate on this voice, my voice, coming from somewhere rational, in my subconscious. I had to break through this stunned muteness back to this very twilight zone reality before something awful happened.

_Fact - _this man, this Adonis, hands down was the most attractive person I had ever seen (ever). However, I had to get past this (somehow) to analyze that:

_Fact – _this man mysteriously showed up at my door, knowing my name.

_Fact – _this man knew my father's name and that I was on the phone with him at that very moment. That is not something anyone around here would be able to deduce (Renee liked to say my father was dead, she thought it kept the crazies away if they believed we were grieving. At least that was the excuse she gave me).

_Fact – _this man held, in his very elegant long fingers my phone, my only means of outside communication, my only means of calling out for help.

I'd seen enough scary movies to know this scenario could play out very _very_ badly.

Quickly, before obsessing enough to let the fear paralyze me, I stepped backwards through the threshold of my apartment. I was reasoning, (okay praying), that I would be able to manage to push my front door shut on this stranger before he had chance to react. I could just lock him out and wait it out. Eventually my mother would come home and she always carried mace, a cell phone and a taser.

Unfortunately, as if anticipating my thoughts, this perfect specimen of man, this Edward, shot his arm forward and easily blocked my escape route.

Cocking one copper colored eyebrow at me, the stranger, seemingly composed, asked, "Bella, may I call you Bella or was that a little presumptuous?"

Was this smooth, alluring attacker asking my permission to call me Bella? Strange anyone. And, that smell coming from his arm. . .what the hell was that? Why did this restraining arm smell so comforting, willing me to walk closer, for a better smell, then farther away? Why did I want to lean forward and lick the offending arm, see if possible tasted as good as it smelled.

"Bella?"

Shit, was I just fantasizing about some guy who. . .

"Who are you?"

"Edward Cullen. . ." Smirk.

Was he really smirking? Actually, the smart ass response helped me to further gain a rational perspective on this.

Holding my head high, chin up, I defiantly (without fear surprisingly) shot back, "I'll scream Edward Cullen."

Ha, that lowered that cocky eyebrow. Now, the eyebrow was pinched together with his other one and his face almost looked pained by my response. Frustration?

"I wish you wouldn't do that Bella? I wish you could trust me, it would be safer for the both of us?" He sounded so wistful and sad. Psychotic? Somebody that good looking I suppose had to have something wrong with them.

"Trust you, I don't even know you."

My mind began to think of survival techniques (finally). Renee, however flighty, was always enrolling us in some mother/daughter self defense, self powering class. I always assumed she was paranoid, but now I was starting to wonder if she had her reasons.

Quickly, my mind, now on auto-pilot, deduced my best bet would be an open palm shoved to the nose. I really hated the idea of marring that face but really he wasn't leaving me a choice. Its not like one of my neighbors would intervene. Things like that, helpful things, rarely happened to someone like me.

I lifted my hand and tried looking slyly at my target. If he had any inkling of what I was about to do this would never work. He looked like he could take me down with one arm tied around his back. . .probably blindfolded.

However, when I looked, Edward was paying no attention to me, his head was turned toward the left and his head was cocked toward the stairwell.

"Ed"

The cool restraining hand of Mr. Wonderful (was I ever going to run out of descriptive pet names), shot across my mouth. On his other hand he raised his index finger to his lips.

"Shhh. . .shit." A nasty scowl shot across Edwards face, making him terrifying. "We don't have any more time to debate this. Billy has apparently sent his son and their pack after us. I was hoping to avoid this." He sent a very pointed look toward my direction.

Fuck could this get any weirder? Sorry profanity was warranted at this point, crap like this didn't happen, in movies or real life, let alone my life.

Wait. . .did he say Billy? Like the Billy, Renee was complaining to Charlie about?

"Billy Black?"

Ha, the look of surprise that shot across his face was priceless. I may not know what the hell was going on, but I could bluff with the best of them.

"You know Billy Black?"

Edward looked pissed. . .no past pissed, Edward looked furious. I watched his fingers flex on his hands. He looked like he wanted to punch something and I really hoped it wasn't me.

"Bella. . .minds like his. . .one tracked. He is so dangerous and he wanted you for his own sick twisted agenda."

Okay now I was frightened. I wasn't sure why I trusted this Edward but I did and the way he reacted made me shake uncontrollably.

"No, I don't know him exactly, actually I don't know him at all. I heard my mother complaining to Charlie that he has been stalking us."

Hey why not tell this stranger everything at this point. Sounds like I was in trouble regardless what I did.

Without another word, Edward laid both his hands onto my shoulders and with one urgent shove, successfully pushed me into my apartment. One swift kick with with his boot and the door shut behind us.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns everything Twilight, any direct and indirect references to the book are intentional tie in. I know this and do not take credit for them.

CHAPTER 5

"Edward?"

Those eerie golden eyes shot around around my apartment and I had an overwhelming feeling he had been here before. Something about the way he looked at everything was almost. . .familiar.

"Is it okay to say that this is the strangest day, ever?"

My voice was a little shaky at this point and must have sounded pathetic because those golden hypnotic eyes came back to my face at their full intensity. Edward Cullen looked almost apologetic.

"Yes Bella, I imagine this is odd. However, it might to you good to get used to odd. This maybe the most normal day you have for quite a while."

His hand came toward me and my breath caught in my chest. For one irrational moment I thought he was going to pull me into his arms and even more crazy, I wanted him to.

But then he lowered his eyes and instead he grasped my sleeve and began pushing me towards the back bedrooms.

"We can't waste anymore time. Does your mother's room still have the fire escape off her window? I assume she wouldn't give that to you."

At the mention of my mother I froze, causing us both to stop.

"Bella we have to go."

"I can't go. I can't leave without my mother."

I squeezed my eyes shut, horrible possible scenarios running through my head. If this pack was as horrible as the look that crossed Edward face when their existences was even brought up, my poor unsuspecting mother could be walking into a booby trap.

"Your mother is safe. . .no I shouldn't make that conclusion or tell you that to make you feel better, because your not four anymore." Edward's boot came out and kicked my hallway wall, as a grunt escaped his lips, "My family is tracking her, if they can find her before Billy finds her, she will be safe and meet back up with us. I can say, without a shadow of a doubt, us waiting here, getting myself killed and you taken is _not_ going to help her in anyway."

He attempted to pull me again, but my feet refused to cooperate, earning me another grunt from him. If grunts were words, I imagined this one would be quite colorful right about now.

"Edward this. . .gang. . ."

"Pack Bella, not gang, pack."

I rolled my eyes, whatever.

"Okay, this _pack_ that was supposedly coming up the stairs hasn't even made their presence known. They haven't knock on my door, or yelled. We haven't even heard them coming. Are you on drugs? Is this some kind of elaborate hoax to get me in a bedroom without force before you. . ." I swallowed a large lump forming in my throat, "rape me or something?"

I was honestly was starting to believe this scenario at this point, but Edward didn't look impressed by my intuition, he looked incredibly annoyed. His top teeth dug deeply into his bottom lip like he was holding back what he really wanted to say.

His silence was irritating to say the least.

"What?"

"Bella they know I'm here, they can smell me." His hand went to his pocket, where he slowly withdrew a small syringe.

My eyes widened and my breath froze.

Strangest. Day. Ever.

"Its not what you think Bella, but we are just out of time. I can't debate with you anymore."

His other arm, which I wasn't watching, to transfixed on the syringe, suddenly came across my waist and pinned me.

I was going to die. This gorgeous creature and just fucked with me for the past twenty minutes, no idea why except maybe those mental problems that had crossed my mind initially, and now he was going to kill me.

My mother was going to be devastated.

I was never going to have that reunion with my father.

In defeat, I hoped he would make it quick and it wouldn't hurt.

I felt the cool stab of the needle in my neck and then the room began to swim in front of me.

I felt two strong hands go around me and hoist me up, my feet leaving the ground entirely.

My eyelids felt heavy.

"Edwaaaaaaa."

My lips refused to cooperate and my voice slurred.

"I'm sorry Bella. But you will see this really is for the best."

My eyes shut.

Everything went black.

* * * * *

"I can't believe your that stupid. . ."

"What was I suppose to do Rosalie, watch her die?"

I silently groaned, keeping my eyes shut. These two voices sounded far enough away that maybe they hadn't noticed me yet, giving me a moment to asses my situation:

_Fact -_My last memory was of a syringe.

_Fact – _My last memory was with Edward.

_Fact – _I was in a much cooler climate then my non-air conditioned apartment in Santa Fe, which meant Edward hasn't killed me. . .yet. However, it did mean I wasn't home. . .I wasn't home.

I heard the female voice huff, "I don't see how what her father did equal out a life of servitude. If you ask me, maybe we should just give her to the pack and maybe we can stay. Its not always about you Edward, this decision, to bring her here, effects us all."

"You don't think Charlie's sacrifice doesn't put this family in his families debt. I bet Jasper thinks it was worth it, or Alice. . .ugh, Alice. Rosalie, please tell me your not that self absorbed."

I tried to maintain even breathing. If they thought I was still asleep. . .

I heard the sounds of definitive clicks, high heels against the floor perhaps, walking near me.

Fear again, crawled up my spine and paralyzed me.

I tried, rather unsuccessfully, not to flinch as something rubbed against my cheek, someone's hair, and two cool lips tickled against my ear. An aroma, very near, but not quite like Edwards surrounded me.

"You are a horrible actress, if your thinking that for a career move, I would think again." a female voice sneered.

My eyes flew open but the retreating female never turned back towards me, she just continued walking out the door.

A male cleared his throat and my eyes shot to the left, where Edward Cullen stood in all his glory.

"That's just Rosalie, try to ignore her, I do."


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns everything Twilight, any direct and indirect references to the book are an intentional tie in. I know this and do not take credit for them.

Note: Sorry about the typos last chapter – I will try to keep those to a minimum. (Hangs head in shame)

CHAPTER 6

"That's just Rosalie, try to ignore her, I do."

Rosalie? Who the hell was Rosalie, and why was it okay to nonchalantly mention this as if I should care at this current moment?

My eyes roamed around the room, ignoring my captor, and his apparent snide comment (because frankly I don't think I could think about that right this second without flipping out), to gawk around at my surroundings. This room I was in was large, like the whole size of crappy apartment 3D, and directly across from where I laid was an amazing wall of floor to ceiling windows. The remaining three walls were snow white with one door behind me where the retreating blond female disappeared, and the floor was an identical white. . .in fact, everything was white. The only color, besides Edward and I (and frankly, Edward's complexion wasn't far off from the walls, mine just marginally better), laid just outside the windows where everything was a contrasting green. . ._green!! Fucking green!_

I suddenly felt very akin to Dorothy, waking up to in Oz.

Reflexively my body shot up from my laying position at the realization of all that color outside the window meant. The less than smooth action moving my stomach into my throat.

I attempted to swallow a large lump of bile threatening to come up and I squeezed my eyes shut. Vertigo was attempting to overtake me at any moment.

"Bella, you have to give yourself a moment to get your bearings, you've been out for close to twenty hours."

Two hands, Edward's hands, were suddenly around each side of me as he sat behind me, propping me up.

Was he kidding with all the parental concern?

I tried to shrink my body away from the comfort of his chest because the sheer impossibility of him here, when less then a second ago he was across the room didn't get past me. Plus, more importantly, I wouldn't be suffering these symptoms if he hadn't. . .

"What the hell did you do." Finally my words caught up with my brain, no point of stalling the inevitable, and I flew from him to the other side of the couch where I laid to instead face him. It wasn't graceful by any means, but it got the point across of my displeasure because Edward remorsefully laid his hands behind him.

His occasional acts of guilt were one of the most fucked up things about this situation. Just when I wanted to absolutely hate him, he would do something and I would find myself trusting him, or maybe even feeling slightly sorry for him.

"I drugged you." he whispered.

"Really, I hadn't noticed." I snarled back.

A sigh escaped him and I watched those fascinating gold orbs begins to pay close attention to his nails first and then to the seam on the white leather couch, on basically anything but me. The whole thing would be quite comical, plain old Bella making this being of perfection squirm like a little girl, if it wasn't for the fact he kidnapped me. I obviously wasn't in Santa Fe anymore.

"Care to explain. . .like where the fuck are we? And where is my mother? And what the hell do you want? And Rosalie mentioned my father, how do you know my father?"

"Anything else?" He asked quizzically, "if you knew how insanely complicated your questions are, you might ask for something simpler, like is there a god? If a tree falls in the woods and no one is around, does it make a sound? What came first, the chicken or the egg."

My eyes narrowed, not allowing this attempt of distraction persuade me. Not now, not since knowing this guy I've become a moron of epic proportions, "You can start with where are we?"

He lifted his head off the seam of the couch to me, his eyes were cautious, his body was tense and he looked ready to pounce or perhaps, restrain me. But why would he think I was a flight risk was beyond me. Where would I go at this point? I've been such a threatening adversary thus far. . .not.

"We are in Forks."

My mouth went immediately dry. Stunned would be an understatement as to my state of mind. I should have probably seen that coming, but I think a slap to the face would have been less shocking than this. Mythical unreachable place of my childhood, Forks.

"Forks, Washington?"

Edward's eyes widened and he leaned forward in what looked like disbelief. Okay he didn't have to say it, that was a stupid question.

"Forks, I have to go see my dad. Please."

I sounded like a child, I felt like a child, giddy and almost at ease. I could forgive this whole fucked up day if he took me to my father.

"No."

A definitive no. Edward, who sat right across from me, shook his head vehemently as he enforced the answer to my question with a shake of his head.

Was he kidding?

"What do you mean no. I heard you and that Rosalie talking, I don't exactly understand what I heard, but I know you said. You said you owed my father. Do you thinking kidnapping me is what he wants?"

I noted a subtle shift in Edward's posture as he leaned closer to me, his eyes. . .god they were boring into me with such intensity I looked away for fear of being lost in their depths. Its like he was trying to dazzle me into submission or something to get me to shut up.

Wasn't going to happen.

"Bella it would be precisely your father's wishes, was you father's wishes. The man you talked to today. . .isn't the same man from your childhood. I think it would be a disrespect to him memory for you to even refer to him as Dad."

I rolled my eyes, but Edward ignored me, instead taking the initiative to take both my hands into his own.

I wanted to shrink away from the touch, or maybe slap him across the face when he did this, but the simple contact of our skin touching was unlike anything I ever experienced. I was sorely lacking in the boy-girl relationship department, and my heart was hammering in my ears at this latest development. I didn't want to be distracted by something so juvenile, but I was, so I mutely let him continue, instead of fighting, finally raising my eyes to his and willing him to continue.

"Bella, Forks is a hub in North America for some. . .unbelievable things. Things from nightmares, legends and Halloween. Things you wouldn't believe. . .but you have to."

"Why?"

"Because. . ."

A knock sounded at the door and I let myself release a small stream of air from my pursed lips. I hadn't even realized I had been holding my breath until the knock had broken our trance.

A blond head poke around the door and I was faced with the second most magnificent man I had ever laid eyes on.

"Carlisle."

Edward annoyed, turned his head away to the the other gentleman.

"I'm sorry, but we have a problem. Charlie is here and demanding to see his daughter."


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns everything Twilight, any direct and indirect references to the book are an intentional tie in. I know this and do not take credit for them.

CHAPTER 7

As if on the same wave length, both Edward and I arose in almost simultaneous motion off the couch, mine sorely lacking the same grace as his almost catlike movement. However, where we stayed similar in direction, our reactions were on opposite ends of the spectrum.

"Yes."

"No."

Our words came out together, equal in volume, equal in conviction, equally trying to out drowned the other's reply.

The gentleman at the door, (and I say gentleman because the generic word man seemed an informal injustice to such a proper looking person) eased himself into the room and shut the door quietly behind him, a click of the lock being the only dead give away to the action at all.

"Son, what have you told her?"

Edward's copper color head dipped from who I assumed to be his father's watchful eye, "Nothing concrete, she just woke up and Rosalie. . ." his voice trailed off almost apologetically.

"Edward, really. You are the one who brought her into the mouth of the lion, did you really not think we were going to be met with opposition? "

"So soon. . .no I didn't."

I watched the exchange, half curious and equally half pissed at all the cloak and dagger nonsense. There was nothing like feeling you walked into a movie halfway through and desperately trying to catch up. Now imagine my frustration when that movie you can't follow is your life and the only person you know is yourself.

I wondered idly if Edward's father was as quick as Edward and I could just dart past him. My father, or my "_not father_" as Edward liked to call him, was just outside there. So far, he, Charlie, had been willing to be the most outright with me, more so than mystery model kidnapper, more so then his blond James Bond looking father who talked in riddles, more so than my own mother who seemed to opt to not talk at all.

"Well son, we may have to let her go. . .for now."

I watched idly the exchange. I felt quite sorry for James Bond dad, Edward looked ready to take off his head in one swift rip.

I had to give my model kidnapper potential psycho credit, I genuinely believed he wholeheartedly convinced himself of the nonsense spewing from his mouth. (No I hadn't got over his Forks is like Halloween description), and I just wondered how I became the object of his fascination. Why I couldn't find normal guys half as good looking as this guy to want to kidnap me, or at least hold my hand and seem to care like he did was beyond me.

"We can't just give her over, I made a promise, apromise I intend to keep. A promise no one else in this family seems willing to help me keep, after all he did for us."

I watched Edward begin to pace and run his hands through his unusual unruly copper hair. The hair was magnificently untamed, it was downright mesmerizing, like it had a mind of its own. I wasn't sure why I hadn't noticed it before now, but it was pretty damn fascinating, thick, rebellious. . .hot.

I was loosing it.

"Edward, he brought people with him."

"Emmett, Jasper and I can handle anything they have for us."

"Innocents? Because he has surrounded himself with quite a mixture of innocent and," Carlisle eyes traveled to me, "_non-innocent_."

"So what do you suggest? Hand her over on a silver platter? Let them do what they did to him, or worse. You know what they need her for makes Charlie's fate seems like a month long cruise."

Carlisle turned now to face me and I squirmed slightly at the attention. I couldn't help but notice his eyes, gold like Edward's eyes, travel my face, as if looking for something, some indication of something. . .if only I knew what.

"I suggest we let Bella go to her father. I suggest we keep a vigilant eye on things and maybe the three of us can finish our discussion at a later date."

I breathed a sigh of relief, a short sigh, because Edward, after going back and forth from that almost catlike stance through this whole conversation, launched himself suddenly toward me. I was stunned, but Carlisle apparently wasn't as an awaiting arm was ready to restrain him.

"Son."

"Your letting her go. She so innocent, so stupidly blind to this world, our world. She's worse than a child because at least a child is adaptable to their situation."

"We don't have a choice."

* * * *

After following Carlisle down a ridiculously long hallway (this house was so freaking big), I was brought to another room, main room, filled with at least twenty men, some in uniform's similar to the one I remembered Charlie wore all those years ago, some Native American (I remember a decent representation in Fork do to a nearby reservation, and three of four what I imagined to be local folks). Among all these people, stood my dad.

"Carlisle."

"Charlie."

A stiff nod passed between the two men. I hesitantly looked out from where I stood behind Carlisle.

"Dad?"

"Bella."

Without even contemplating the sheer absurdity of all these people here for me, I flew to my father, feeling not like the teenager I am but the child I was, before I left.

My arms snaked around my father neck. I buried my face, without shame in the crook of his neck.

I froze.

My father brought his two arms stiffly around me to complete the hug.

My eyes, which initially shut so to commit this reunion to memory, opened in confusion. My father wasn't warm . . .my father was hot. . .uncomfortably hot.

I let my arms loose around his neck and slide down each side of his uniform.

My father's hug severely lacked. . .for lack of any better word, emotion. Maybe I had built the hug up to impossible heights after years of fantasizing, but when he hugged me it wasn't warm and comforting and smelling of Old Spice and Ivory soap. The hug, the contact, was stiff, formal and his skin, again severely warm (hot), smelled of road kill sitting out all day on a typical hot Santa Fe summer afternoon.

I stepped back, trying to not let my disappointment show. I was being foolish. This was my dad after all. And after today, who was I to judge anything.

"I was so worried about you kid. Did they hurt you?"

I looked back to the hallway where Edward stood, his eyes intently staring at me, his whole body twitching in what looked to be agitation, his fingers flexing and unflexing into fist.

Something irrational told me if I called out for him he would be across the room before I could blink my eye.

"No."

I wasn't sure why I was lying, again probably something to do with my growing infatuation with the good looking unstable Edward Cullen.

"I met him in Santa Fe and he mentioned he was from here. . .he said he was going home, I impulsively asked if I could tag along because I was tired of mom and you keeping me away. Did I worry you?"

No one spoke in the room and I immediately looked up at my dad. I hadn't seen him in so long that I couldn't gauge his reaction. However, by the noticeable clench in his jaw and the way his hands gripped my shoulders, painfully, I doubted he believed me.

Judging by the tension in the room no one bought it.

"Bella."

"I swear, I just missed you. Edward's only fault was falling for my damsel in distress routine." My voice cracked with releasing emotion, but my father reaction surprised me. He didn't flinch at my happiness, or my downright disobedience. My dad didn't waver, didn't say, 'yeah kid, I missed you too.'

Charlie Swan just stood there, painfully holding me an arms link away and without emotion he gawked at my face, my hair, my eyes. He reminded me so much of my initial contact with Edward's father, he looked like he was searching my face for something.

Again I was lost.

"If this is true Carlisle, then I guess I should thank your boy for getting her here safely. If she was determined to get here, at least it was with him and not some low life." My father's words, formal, fitting, lacked any conviction and his eyes never left me.

"Well, no harm Charlie. I hope we can just let this matter go." Carlisle started toward the door, "I assume we will be seeing Renee around town. Once she finds out what Bella has done I imagine she will be on the next plane to Forks to escort her home."

"Oh Bella's home Doc. Renee up and signed some legal papers today giving me full custody of Bella. Seems she gone and took up with some minor league ball player and has decided to go on the road with him."

My jaw dropped in disbelief and my father's obvious fabrication and I curiously looked for some sign he was joking.

Charlie didn't look like he was joking. In fact he winked his left eye at me and my body erupted in all over goosebumps.

"Come along Bella, best we be getting you home and settling you in. You've got school in the morning and some old friends, the Blacks, are coming by tonight for dinner. Wait till you try Harry Clearwater's fish fry, its to die for."


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns everything Twilight, any direct and indirect references to the book are an intentional tie in. I know this and do not take credit for them.

Author's Note: Thanks to my readers and reviewers. And yes, for purposes of this story I plan to turn some nice people not so nice.

CHAPTER 8

Without another word, to the Cullens or to me, Charlie led me out the door of the Cullen mansion to his cruiser parked outside. I tried not to flinch to badly at the impersonal way his hot hand gripped my neck as he wound me through his fellow colleagues and friends. I kept my eyes downcast, attempting to look interested in the unfamiliar terrain and avoid all the curious stares that were likely aimed in my direction. I couldn't blame anyone, if I could stare at myself at this moment I would too. What happened to the girl whose biggest conflict of the day had been to wear a white t-shirt or the blue one (thank god I had picked blue). What special spark did I, this painfully average looking girl posses, to cause all this chaos that has seemed to have erupted.

"Charlie, I think it best if Jacob ride with you, help you with things."

"Sure Billy, if you think that's best."

At the surprise of hearing the name Billy, my eyes automatically rose to the older Native American man in front of me. It had to be the famous Billy Black that my mother feared (she did refer to him as creepy) and Edward Cullen seemed less than thrilled with.

Billy, (very weird to be referring to someone older than my father such a juvenile name), was seated in a wheelchair, but that didn't phase me. Why my chest suddenly tightened was the realization I had seen this man before.

Without a doubt, I had seen him most recently in Santa Fe. Maybe not even a week ago, I had spotted Billy Black at the local mall where Renee had dragged me, insisting I get my neglected split ends chopped off. He had been in that very wheelchair (an obvious antique not hard to miss), across the mall hallway, just inside the bookstore, reading the back cover of a recent best seller. I remember, at the time, thinking it was an odd choice for the man, as the book was aimed at teenagers. I had eventually shrugged it off as a grandparent trying to find a birthday gift.

But now, staring into the man's weathered face and flat black eyes, I came to realize I had seen him before as well. As I rudely let my eyes bore into the black pools of Billy's eyes, momentarily forgetting all etiquette, I remembered that very wheelchair and its occupant at a community pool where Renee and I often frequented when we lived in Louisiana. He had looked uncomfortable and out of place, his chair wedged near a umbrella covered table. He had been wearing large black sunglasses, and a cowboy hat very similar, if not the same as he was wearing now, and I remember my eyes being drawn to him. I told my mother I thought the man had been watching me, but Renee had brushed off my assumption with a laugh. We had left soon after that though, Renee claiming a migraine was coming on and she wanted to get home before it hit full blast.

We had moved to Texas not even a week later.

But, surprisingly, my most vibrant memory was seeing this face, maybe minus some of those lines and wrinkles, sans the wheelchair, standing over my crib. . .it was ridiculous, but my conviction was so strong I would put money on it. He had been standing over my crib, looking intently at me, much like he was right now.

"Bella."

We stopped at the back of the cruiser and wordlessly Charlie leaned in front of me and opened the door, breaking my trance with Billy.

"You want me to sit in the back?"

I tried not to sound horrified that my father was putting me in the same place he likely carted the town drunks, and failed miserably. I had assumed, being the newly reacquired daughter and all that I would be given some perks and benefits. At the very least be honored with shot-gun privileges in my own father's car.

There was so much I wanted to ask Charlie, especially that doozy of a lie about Renee and the ball player. Where he came up with such nonsense, or why, eluded me. This was not a conversation, however, I felt like having through plexi-glass.

"Jacob's our guest."

Charlie tilted his head again toward the open door. I swore a mild quiver shook his body as he motioned for me to get in.

"And I'm your daughter, who you haven't seen in twelve years."

I wasn't sure why I was throwing a temper tantrum, but I was. Tantrum throwing was my specialty once upon a time, and much like riding a bike, it was very easy to pick back up.

I rolled my eyes for effect, stopping short when they landed on the last window of the second story. There, pressed against the glass was Edward Cullen, watching the exchange between my father and I. Edward's face was etched with worry (seemed to be a common look for him) and his mouth, his perfect lips, shaped in one word.

Stop.

Somehow, no idea why or how, I knew Edward desperately wanted me to stop my argument with my father. His hands and forehead were pressed against the glass as he again repeated that one word, only adding one other word to get his point across.

Please.

Startled, my eyes flew almost guiltily to my father. Again my need to protect this Edward Cullen was overriding common sense or any loyalty to Charlie. Something told me Charlie would not be pleased that Edward was there watching us and I felt the overwhelming need to get Charlie back in the car and away from Edward, now.

I tried to convince myself the compulsion was again my theory that Edward was crazy and I didn't want him to get into any more trouble than he already was.

"Back seat it is."

Attempting to appease my father, I gave him a weak smile as I ducked into the cruiser's back seat and my father shut the door, essentially locking me into the car.

This is what I wanted. . . right?

I tried not to dwell to much on the fact that I was essentially stuck in this very, very small area. Small confined spaces were not Bella's friend.

Before my father could reach his front seat, I stole one last glance over my shoulder at Edward. He had backed away from the glass, his pale outline now only barely visible, but his right hand still lingered, pressed against the window.

Foolishly I mimicked his movement in the back window of the cruiser.

At that very moment, a male cleared his throat loudly and I hastily turned back around to face forward, trying not to blush in the process. My father was still outside speaking to Billy Black. I was being joined in the car, in the passenger seat, by another man, who looked a lot like Billy might have thirty or so years ago. This man, was impressively broad shouldered, his tight black shirt stretched around his obvious muscular frame. Even from where I sat (trapped) I could tell this man was as impressively tall as he was large.

The man turned, as if he felt my eyes on him, and I was startled to see how young he actually was. Despite the fact he looked to have the body of an adult male his face looked considerably younger, even younger then me. I had to admit he was quite good looking, not Edward good looking, but easily someone who could hold his own compared to other boys his age.

He smiled, his white teeth contrasting against his dark skin – reminding me foolishly of some of the more predatory animals at the San Diego Zoo Renee had taken me to when we had our short lived stint in California.

"You must be Jacob of the pack."

Startled, my hands flew across my lips immediately, realizing my gaff. I can't believe my traitorous mouth had just said that, using Edward's derogatory words as my own. I wasn't even convinced this guy had been in Santa Fe, at my apartment. Someone his age should be in school, right?

I blamed the smile, the animistic qualities of that smile, combined with Edward's insistance of using the work pack, throwing me off.

Stupid Bella.

I watched Jacob's dark eyes, first widened, next darken, before finally resting in an almost amused expression. His eyes crinkled in the corners and he let out a small chuckle. I thought the chuckle sounded forced, but I also thought my father was running a temperature of 112 and smelled like roadkill, a wheelchair bound middle age man had been stalking me since birth and kidnappers were attractive. My opnion was not to be trusted at this moment.

"Is that was Cullen said?"

I wanted to shake my head no, but something told me I didn't have enough information to lie convincingly, so I just nodded. Suddenly I very much missed my stinky father, who conveniently was still outside, his back against the cruiser. Why he was taking so long lingering, when most everyone else of his calvary had left, confused me.

Jacob smile widened as he gave his dark mane of hair an empathetic shake no, "Cullen is not. . ." he let his words die out, almost as if searching for the right words to explain.

"Sane?"

I wasn't sure why I offered the word, it felt as if I was stabbing poor defenseless Edward in the back and he wasn't even here to defend himself.

But Jacob's eyes lightened and his chuckle bloomed into a full out convincing belly laugh. The laugh no longer creeped me out, it was almost infectious.

"Thank god Bella, I was really worried he had gotten to you." Jacob sounded genuinely pleased and he turned his whole body around in his seat to face me, he now seemed more his age and not the hulking man who had been sitting in the seat scowling in front of me only moments ago, "I was so worried I was going to have to brainwash you or something before you took out his lies on poor unsuspecting Charlie."

My smile faltered.

Jacob's laugh died almost instantly.

For a moment we just stared at each other.

"I'm kidding Bella." Jacob, now acting cautious, attempted a grin again. "Brainwashing, really?"

I tried to give him a grin back, but it never quite made it that far. Something wasn't quite right. The way he had immediately jumped to Charlie, when in fact Charlie was about the only thing Edward and I had a chance to talk about.

Well he talked, I listened, and didn't understand.

But of all topics, why did Jacob jump on Charlie? Yes, he was the parent I was visiting after being away so long, but Jacob had insinuated that Edward had said something to make me hate or at least hurt Charlie?"

"What did Cullen say to you Bella?"

My eyes narrowed and I tried fruitlessly to will my father back to the car, quasing this conversation before it went any farther.

I felt Jacob's frustration mount as he began to fidget in his seat. His movements reminded me of Charlie during our seating disagreement, amost like a personal earthquake running through the limbs of his body.

"What. Did. Cullen. Say?"

"He said Forks aren't just utensils at the kitchen table."

Okay I lie bad. And when I am under pressure, I lie _really_ bad.

But thankfully, Jacob seemed so momentarily stunned by my off the wall remark his full on body shake ceased.

"He said that?"

"Yeah." I shrugged nochelontly and returned my gaze to the window, where I could see Charlie finally starting to move toward the cruiser.

"What the hell is that suppose to mean."

"Beats me," I now found my smile, likely fake looking but at least present, and shrugged my shoulders, "why do think I questioned his sanity."

* * * *

The rest of the ride back home to my father's house was uneventful. . . very uneventful. I attempted a few light hearted conversation starters with Charlie, but was only met with one word responses back. I didn't mention Renee, it just didn't seem like the time with Jacob in the car.

Jacob, for the most part, just sat motionlessly in his seat. Every once in awhile I throught I saw him staring at me in the mirror attached to the car's visor, but when I looked up, he would look away. Every once in awhile I thought I heard him curse Edward Cullen, but through plexi-glass, I wasn't sure enough to bring it up.

When we finally reached Charlie's home, the house of my youth, I was ready to be let loose of my imprisionment.

Apparently Charlie and Jacob had other plans for me. While Charlie threw the car into park and shut off the engine, Jacob turned again in his seat to face me. This time the scowl was back on his face.

"Bella, if you truly planned to run away with Edward Cullen to Forks, where are your bags?"

Jacob accustory statement had come from seemingly nowhere. Didn't we end our last conversation on a good note?

Who the hell did this guy think he is?

"Dad, can you let me out? I've really got to use the bathroom?

I stared imploringly at the back of my father's head. Why wasn't he coming to my rescue? Why wasn't he even looking at me?

"Simple question?"

Jacob cocked his head to the side and for a moment I felt I was having a conversation with my neighbor's dog and not. . .bipolar Billy Black's son.

Was Forks a haven for the delusional and emotionaly imbalanced?

"I left my one bag at Edward's house. Maybe I should go back now and get it?"

I defiantly rose my chin.

"Now do you want me to mark this seat as my own, or is someone going to let me out so I can use the bathroom?"

The dog reference seemed to confuse Jacob for a moment, his cocked head now straightening out, a small hint of a blush rising to his cheeks.

"He said more to you then you are admitting."

"Seriously bathroom, please."

Sighing, Jacob nodded to Charlie, who got out of his seat and opened my door. Without another word to either men, I ran to the house.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns everything Twilight, any direct and indirect references to the book are an intentional tie in. I know this and do not take credit for them.

Author's Note: Thanks to my readers and reviewers. And yes, for purposes of this story I plan to turn some nice people not so please try to overlook my typos (apparently I did ;)

CHAPTER 9

It was almost frightening how easily I could enter Charlie's house and navigate to the bathroom. I didn't even stop to look around as I entered the doorway, instead going right to the stairs and jumping up them two at a time. Once at the landing, I took the second door to the left, entered quickly, slamming the door behind me.

Damn this bathroom was small.

I turned toward the sink, immediately turning the faucet onto cold, with full intention of splashing my face, maybe waking myself up from this nightmare.

I looked into the mirror.

My eyes went to the Isabella Swan staring back at me, who looked wide eyed, frightened and disheveled.

"I don't know what your problem is. I'm sure your life in the mirror can't be as fucked up as my life right now."

Mindlessly I ran my hand through the tangles in my hair. Apparently, being kidnapped, held hostage and interrogated wasn't easy on the appearance.

"Feeling a little like Alice in Wonderland?"

I stopped, hardly believing my ears. Are you freaking kidding me? Now what?

I slowly turned from the sink to the shower where the voice came from, deciding better to meet this latest obstacle head on.

The gaudy flower shower curtain, likely left over from my mother, twitched with life before slowly sliding open.

Oh god, there I was, face to face with another one.

A boy, likely my age sat pressed against the wall opposite from me. He had a curly mop of blond hair that was perfectly styled to look unstyled. He was lanky but handsome, in that bad boy sort of way. He had a remarkably similar pale complexion and startling gold eyes that before today I would have thought to be highly unique, but now wondered if they were just as popular in Forks as the more common brown or black.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Jasper, I'm Edward's brother. Is the _dog_ still down stairs?"

Ah, Edward's brother, explained the eyes, the color of the skin.

"Dog?"

Jasper stood up from his crouched position in my tub, but his back remained pressed, almost painfully, against the wall.

"Black."

Dog? Black? He must mean Jacob. I could see it.

"Yes." I shook my head.

"Then we don't have much time. I bathed myself quite heavily in Charlie's soap and shampoo but it still will give us only ten minutes, best scenario, before my scent will break through. Neither one of us want Jacob sticking his nose up here and detecting me."

"You used Charlie's shampoo. . . I'm sorry." I flinched, thinking back to the odor I had smelled on Charlie earlier. Anyone who was willing to subject himself to that kind of torture deserved a level of my respect.

At my comment, I thought I saw Jasper snicker, but he quickly composed himself, "I'm here for Edward, our self appointed spokesperson. He would like to come see you tonight, to explain his actions and such properly. He sent me to check if you would be opposed to that."

Edward wanted to see me?

My heart hammered in my chest at the thought of seeing the dashing Edward Cullen. Despite everything, my body almost hummed with a positive energy, a proposed meeting with Edward.

"Bella?"

"I wouldn't be opposed." I tried to swallow the giddiness threatening to overtake me, first at seeing Edward followed secondly by someone telling me something, some sort of explanation, "but Charlie. . ."

"Oh trust me Charlie is not an issue. Edward wouldn't use the door anyway, more likely the window of your bedroom." Jasper inched farther away toward me. "But he wants to make sure that you are okay with that. He realizes Jacob might have said some things about us to upset you."

Was I okay with that? I probably shouldn't be okay with the thought of crazy Edward Cullen stalking through my window at probably midnight or later, when I would be defenseless, practically alone.

But I was okay with that. Despite the fact I shouldn't be, I was beyond a shadow of a doubt okay with that.

I mean any guy who was willing to send his brother for permission couldn't be all bad right?

"Yes. Through the window. . .okay."

Jasper nodded and I realized he was now leaning towards a small outside window.

Could he fit through that small of an opening? And how would he get out before being discovered?

"Bella, Edward asks. . .we all ask actually that until you two can talk, that you wouldn't provoke Charlie, Jacob or really any of their friends unnecessarily. It might be best, within reason of course, to just agree with everything they say. Maybe make an effort to be overly gracious."

I felt myself internally cringe.

"Bella." Jasper leaned forward and grasped my forearm, as if sensing my reluctance, but as our skin touched, he immediately dropped his hand back down.

"Damn you smell divine, how Edward managed to be alone with you the whole way back is beyond me" Jasper comment seemed more to himself then me, but I couldn't help but respond.

"Excuse me?"

Jasper apologetically shrugged, "Never mind, sorry. Just keep cool and try not to let Jacob cloud your judgment on us to badly. Despite what he thinks, we would never do anything to hurt you. We brought you back to save you because Charlie sacrificed everything once to save one of us."

Without another word, I watched in amazement as Jasper jumped through the small window and effortlessly squeezed through the opening nearly half his size.

Almost instantly, I heard a soft knock on the bathroom door.

"Bella, it's Jacob. Is everything okay in there?"

Had he seen? Did he. . .smell?

I sighed, gave myself on quick once over in the mirror. I was hoping my eyes didn't give away anything.

"I'm fine I guess. Long, confusing day."

My hand lingered at the door before finally willing myself to open it. I highly doubted I could keep myself locked in this bathroom forever without raising suspicion.

On the other side of the door, waiting to greet me, stood the hulking Jacob Black. However, now that I was out of the backseat of the police car, I had to admit he looked a little less intimidating.

As if reading my thoughts, Jacob Black gave the goofiest, friendliest (Labrador like?) smile. "Bella did we start out on the wrong foot or what? I bet I came off just as crazy as Cullen."

Before I could dwell to much on the Cullen comment, Jacob thrust his hand at me, "Let's try again. Hi Bella, I'm Jacob Black and believe it or not people have said we were once best friends."

Bipolar. . .definitely bipolar.

Deciding to heed Edward and Jasper's warning, I took the hand, shocked as it enveloped my hand so monstrously, the warmth breaking my hand out into a sweat, "Were we four?"

I tried to sound good natured, at least this Jacob didn't scare the crap out of me.

"Three actually, but rumors have it there are pictures that exists of me in a tu-tu or something, because you wanted someone to play ballerina with you and cried until I caved."

I had to admit the thought of Jacob Black caving to my will, even at three, was hysterical.

"I promise to find the picture, if it makes you light up again just like that." Jacob cocked his eyebrow at me, teasingly, "Or if you play your cards right, maybe actually gracing me with a laugh, I might even be persuaded to find the actual tu-tu."

This was the homecoming I had envisioned, old stories and fond memory sharing. For a moment I just kind of relished the normalcy, even if I didn't remember or was able to contribute.

"Jacob. . .where is Charlie?"

"Out."

"He left?" I leaned into the door frame, resting my head against the frame, feeling slightly rejected.

"Not the dad you pictured?"

Jacob sounded so regretful for me, and although I was still not at ease with the man, I nodded mutely.

"He had an accident you know, Charlie. My dad says he never has been quite the same since."

Jacob walked closer to me, invading my personal space more than I was exactly comfortable with, but wanting him to continue, I instinctively went even closer.

Even virginal Bella could tell Jacob liked that.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns everything Twilight, any direct and indirect references to the book are an intentional tie in. I know this and do not take credit for them.

Author's Note: Thanks to my readers and reviewers.

CHAPTER 10

And by liking that, I mean Jacob Black looked about ready to faint as I drew closer to him.

"Accident?" I prompted, attempting to bat my eyes.

I was trying to maintain my cool. (Unfortunately, flirting was not something that came naturally to me.)

I was trying really hard not to jump down Jacob's throat because of his unnecessary sighs and dramatic pauses, which due to my proximity were coming in short uneven burst.

I was also, really _truly_ trying not to think of that infamous towel held to Charlie's neck all those years ago. That day, that towel, had to be the tied into the accident that Jacob was referring too. It just fit to perfectly.

"I don't know, Bella. Maybe I shouldn't have said anything. My dad wouldn't want me to get into this with you. I mean you just got here and nothing has gone to plan. . .I mean right. . .I mean I'm sure Charlie had a plan on how to do this right." Jacob stuttered out his last words before running his hands up and down his face roughly, as if to scrub away his obvious blunder. His embarrassment was evident all over his face as well as his posture.

Wow, I was amazed there was someone who lied worse than me.

Bored with Jacob, who was staring very intently at my chest, again my thoughts turned to Charlie and that towel that seemed almost a catalyst to my family's demise. I hate that fucking white towel dripping with red.

Impulsively, I let my hand go over Jacob's heart, momentarily stunned at how truly hard the chest was underneath.

His heart was beating so hard, I could almost detect the up and down movement on my hand.

"Please Jacob. I kind of feel like the orphan puppy. Mom doesn't want me. Dad is housing me, but it doesn't seem like he exactly wants me to be here. No one wants me."

I don't know why the dog references kept coming up, but they did and they seemed always to fit, so I just let them fly.

My eyes, which had been downcast, began a slow upward travel back to Jacob's face. He was obviously eating up my attention. His dark eyes weren't angry, weren't friendly, but they were hungry. . .hungry for Bella.

Something about this look, his look, screamed danger. I suddenly felt as if maybe I was getting over my head.

A small voice, my voice, told me this wasn't exactly what Edward meant by being gracious.

"Accident Jacob?"

"Bella your wanted, your _very very _wanted."

Jacob's now husky voice was obviously not referring to my relationship with my father. I definitely had over played my hand.

"Please, show me how much I'm wanted. Trust me with this information. I want to feel like my father wants me here." I let my voice go from seductive to scared child.

Sighing deeply, Jacob finally seemed to gather enough strength to pull away from me. He walked forward, to the top of the stairwell. Without a word, he slid down to the top step and sat down, his black shirted shoulders hunching forward.

Turning his head to the side, I could see in his one visible eye, that the lust I had drawn so quickly from him earlier was now gone. Replaced with defeat.

He raised his left hand and patted the empty spot next to him. He no longer seemed a threat so I crossed the room to take the spot next to him.

"It happened about twelve years ago, out at the reservation."

I watched Jacob's eyes glaze over, deep in thought, "Someone, a tourist I imagine. . .no local would dare stick their nose into our business. . .drove by and presumed something they shouldn't have."

His voice had a hard menacing edge and I desperately wanted to ask him what he mean by "our", but I didn't. I was finally getting some sore of answer and I was fearful of Jacob clamming up at any moment.

"This tourist, this _busy body_, called Charlie out citing some sort of fight and he came out to investigate."

"What was it?"

I bit my lip after the question escaped my lips. Okay, I tried to stay quite.

Jacob shook his head angrily, "It was the so-called Cullen _family." _Curiously he held up two fingers on each of his hand, as if placing quotes, when he said the word family.

"They aren't a family?"

"Oh they are related, not by family ties though." Jacob now turned to me, and acting on instinct, I turned to him.

"Bella the Cullen's aren't like you and me."

I exhaled, I wasn't sure if Jacob was going to go on another tirade about Edward or not, but I really didn't want to hear more ranting about his insecurities or whatever fueled his hate. I wanted to hear about the accident and my dad.

"So the Cullen's were on the reservation. . ." probing I raised my eyebrows willing him to continue.

"Oh yeah, right." He nodded, and I thought I noted some tension sink out of his shoulders, as if relieved by going back to this topic, which he only seemed to want to avoid moments ago. "Anyway they had come because their _sister (_air quotes again) was missing and they were blaming one of my friends."

"Weren't you three at the time?"

Jacob rolled his eyes, "Okay one of the older brothers of my friend."

"Was it Rosalie that was missing?"

Jacob smirked, "Rosalie's a bitch, royal first-class bitch."

"But twelve years ago, what was she five or six. Did she run away?"

Jacob shook his head seeming to grow impatient with my constant interruptions, "Bella, Rosalie, all the Cullens, aren't as young as they appear. Rosalie was a grown bitch even back then, but no it wasn't Rosalie, it was the other one. I doubt you met her."

Edward had another sister, or "sister" as Jacob might say. This perked my interest more than it should. (And reminded me of a conversation earlier where Edward said my dad wasn't my dad. Try to wrap your head around that one).

"This was about Alice. She is certifiably nuts. As in locked in her padded room most hours of the day crazy." Jacob circled his right index finger around the side of his head to accentuate his point. For some reason his lack of compassion towards this Alice Cullen pissed me off.

Jacob, not noticing my disapproval, continued, "Apparently Alice picked the lock and was gone. They had come to the reservation, falsely accusing my friend of her liberation, and refused to leave when we said, under no uncertain terms, she wasn't on our land. We weren't going to fight them, but we weren't going to let this c_oven_ _of devil worshippers_ to get away with accusing us either. We wouldn't let their kind on our land, let alone kidnap one and bring it over."

Jacob was shaking furious at this point and I. . .I was once again lost.

"So you guys had a disagreement. How does Charlie get irreversibly damaged in the process."

Jacob leaned back on the stair, his eyes darting around the room, looking everywhere and nowhere at once, "Your dad came out to investigate and there was this wolf. . .and like you said I was three, I don't know the specifics."

Jacob suddenly jumped up, "I should go. . .now. You probably want to sleep or something and I really should check in with my dad. I _really_ should check in with my dad."

Stunned I watched Jacob Black bolt upright, sprint down the stairs and run out the door without so much as a look back in my direction. I wondered idly if he thought I was an idiot, or just to tired not to catch that at one moment he was telling a story he knew so intimately that he kept talking like he was there at the confrontation, and the next moment he claimed memory loss at what I deemed to be the most crucial part, and suddenly needed to leave right away. His story was interesting but explained nothing as to why my mother would have left Charlie, what was Plan B and who was the neighbor who put me into the car.

If Billy was such good friends with Charlie, why wasn't he here that day, helping my father?

I stood up and walked to my bedroom. I was anxiously going to be awaiting my last night/early morning visitor.

Outside, near my house, a wolf howled.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns everything Twilight, any direct and indirect references to the book are an intentional tie in. I know this and do not take credit for them.

Author's Note: Thanks to my readers and reviewers.

CHAPTER 11

"Bella."

At the sound of my name being yelled from downstairs, I immediately sat upright in my bed. I groggily wiped my eyes with the back of my hand trying to put the muddled mess running through my head into some sort of order, to attempt to grasp my situation.

My last memories were of Jacob leaving and then, partially out of boredom and partially out of a need to make the day go by faster, I had wandered into what had once been my old room. Charlie had, fortunately for me, replaced the old toddler bed with a twin and on a whim I had laid down, burrowing deeply into a new, unused purple comforter. I hadn't thought I would nap, but apparently my mind and my body were not working in sync, because I had fallen asleep. At least I guessed I fell asleep.

Again I rubbed at my eyes, and glancing around, found an alarm clock on a nearby bedside table, 13:45 pm.

Ahh. . . thirteen o'clock. Why does that almost seem fitting. God bless technology.

"Bella Swan. . .NOW!"

I blinked. The voice was of my father, and again I was struck with the realization of how different he sounded than the voice I remembered from my past. Like right now, his voice nearly sneered out my name.

Shrugging my shoulders, with heavy trepidation, I forced myself out of my bed. It was getting harder and harder to believe this is the same place I was raised. This town seemed more and more a freak show by the minute.

"I'll be right down."

I stumbled out of the bedroom still rubbing my eyes, man I had slept hard.

I walked to the stairway.

I stopped.

Panting. I heard the sound of what could only be, heavy panting coming from the kitchen.

Did my dad now have a pet? And if so what, a dragon?

"Dad? Are you okay?"

I hesitantly descended down the stairs. At the bottom landing, I turned to the right, towards the kitchen.

"Do you need water or something? I can get you some Tylenol?" I asked lamely, wishing I knew more about his condition. Was he having a heart attack? Did Forks even have a hospital?

Charlie chuckled at my question, a chuckle that rumbled deep within his chest. A chuckle that practically shook the whole room.

I noticed I could now hear a companion snorting to Charlie's panting. The snorting reminded be of a pig in heat and reflexively I look a step back, towards the knife block.

People just didn't make sounds like these.

My god what was I doing. . .what was I thinking. . .this was my father.

"Bella. . .," my father's voice, different again than even moments ago. Where he started off sounding stiff and lifeless (like at the Cullen house), he now sounded deep and manic, his word he didn't say, he growled. Combined with the panting and the snorting, my father sounded more like an enraged animal and less like a normal person, "Bella this is all about our blood."

"What's about our blood?"

Charlie chuckled again, he sounded mildly amused by my lack of knowledge, which kinda pissed me off. When was the fatherly instinct going to kick in with him anyway.

"Blood lust Bella. When it comes to the Swan's, we tend to bring the predator in everyone."

"I. . .don't understand_?_"

"I know you don't understand," another quake ran through Charlie's body. I physically watched in awe (and a little disgust) a wave of bunched up skin ripple through his shirt from his neck to where it disappeared at his waistband, "I wish I could get into this with you as far as you deserve, but I don't have time. My pack won't stand for my disobedience."

I was physically sickened, confused and a little mortified that my father was suffering such a mental breakdown right before me and I wasn't sure how to help him.

"Dad. . . does this have to do with your accident?

"What happened to me was no accident." I heard an audible snap of Charlie's jaw. He sounded angry but really, was he listening to what was coming out of his mouth?

"Swan's are special, we have dormant talents, that don't manifest when we are human. Talents that if introduced into a special type of people, could bring about someone or something unbelievable. Billy and Jake, they did this to me because they were desperate, they thought I would be some sort of super being to help their dying off tribe. It just didn't work out right. . .If there new plans didn't involve you I would almost applaud their perseverance. As it is, I am just enraged, my so-called friends would do this to me."

Slowly he began to turn around, "Your just like your mother. She had to come back, after you guys left, to see this for herself. Maybe you need to be scared too."

But before he turned completely around, before I could see him, he stopped. "Before I show you this and you go run screaming in the other direction, you should also know about the Cullens."

"Cullens?"

Edward.

"They _may_ be able to protect you from the pack, but they may alternatively be your biggest concern. The pack may want you for. . .marrying Jake and strengthening further generations, but the Cullen's instinct is to kill you for your blood. They say they won't, and I believe they truly want to believe that, but instinct is. . .well instinctual, sometimes overpowering."

Marriage? Back the hell up, did my father just say marriage?

Okay for some reason the idea of an arranged marriage (or forced marriage or whatever Charlie meant) was worse than the blood thing he had rambled about earlier.

"I wish I knew what to tell you kid, but I don't even think you could leave here if you tried. Forks has already called you home."

Before my brain could even comprehend all of this, still obsessing over the phrases _future generations _and _kill for blood, _my father turned completely around to face me.

Oh my god in heaven. What the fuck was that staring at me?

My father. . .no. . .Charlie Swan's. . .nose had somehow elongated, it jutted from his face like a flesh colored sugar cone. His once warm chocolate brown eyes, which I had inherited, were now a crazed black color and his modest ears were grossly misshapen, as if reformed with finger bones, and resembled pointy warped triangular ears of one of Santa's elves (evil deranged elves). Tufts of dark hair sprouted in abnormal patches all around his face and hands.

My father no longer looked human. My father. . .as crazy as it sounded. . .was a monster (or a . . .wolf?)

Unable to rationalize what was in front of me, I did one any sane person in my position could do. . .

I screamed.

* * * *

"Bella."

I began to flail, looking for something to defend myself with, as two strong hands grasped for me in the darkness that surrounded me. Two cold hands.

"Bella, it's me Edward. Bella. . you were sleeping."

For a moment I continued to fight against the hands that were holding me down, restraining my nails that wanted so badly to claw out my own eyes. The grotesque image of Charlie was seared into my brain and I so desperately wanted it out.

I was broken out in a cold sweat over my body and with the addition of Edward's icy hands around my wrist I began to shake uncontrollably

"Was that a nightmare?"

I foolishly asked. Of course it was a nightmare.

"Was it of Charlie?"

To my disbelief, I felt Edward Cullen pull me closer to him. I was expecting him to tell me of course it was a nightmare, idiot girl.

I wasn't expecting such a rational question, or the feel of his breath so close on my face.

The pace of my heart quickened.

"It was stupid."

I attempted to reach for a bedside light, but Edward's hands were still around my wrist, only tightened at my sudden movement.

"We have visitors watching us outside. I would prefer to keep our exact location in the house a mystery for as long as possible."

Visitors?

"Who?"

"Not right now." I heard the box spring of my bed creak as Edward shifted his weight, I sensed (with much delight) him move closer to me on the bed, his breath now hitting my face. "Bella was the dream of your father?"

"Yeah." The seriousness of Edward's tone frightened me a bit, but instead of moving farther away, I found myself leaning even closer to him. I wished he would let me turn on the light, I was a much better reader of faces then voices and I wondered if he looked as formal as he sounded.

"What did he say. . .exactly Bella. I need to know what he told you."

"Why?"

I heard a sigh and then I felt some light brushes of what I imagined to be fingertips on my cheeks. I've never been this close to a member of the opposite sex before, so the chaste movement caused an embarassing flutter to erupt in my stomach.

"Bella, without getting to confusing, let's just say Charlie and you share a special bond. If you had a dream of him, it is very likely it was on purpose. Did he talk to you?"

I wanted so hard to focus on the fingertips that now had made their way down my neck. I wanted to try to imagine where they would go next.

I wanted so hard to not focus on that dream.

"It really made little sense Edward."

"Try me."

I sighed. Maybe mental illness was airborne around here. Maybe to crazy Edward Cullen my dream would make perfect sense. Or maybe, to crazy Edward Cullen, my dream would send him out my window and back to the safety of his own house where he and his family could talk about loony tunes Bella and her "magic blood" over dinner.

"It was nothing really, I had a dream Charlie and I talked about why I was back here in Forks. He said something about how Jacob wanted to marry me. . ."

I stopped. Okay so maybe I glossed over the blood stuff. It was the cliff notes version.

"Edward?"

Was he planning his escape route? Or perhaps a nice way to get out of the house without hurting my feelings?

"He said Jacob wanted to marry you?"

The way Edward spit out the question, combined with the way his grasp around me tightened, shocked and excited me a bit. This gorgeous stranger almost sounded jealous.

Jealous? How could someone I just met be jealous?

Like he needed to be jealous? Had he looked in the mirror.

"Why does he think that Jacob wants to marry you?"

I felt my right hand begin to go numb, "Edward, my wrist."

"Oh, sorry." I felt the icy grip lessen and then, when I thought I could not be surprised any more, I felt Edward Cullen raise my hand and kiss the inside of my wrist. For some inexplicable reason the place on my wrist he kissed, made me think of the prominent veins that could be seen through my pale skin there, which in turn made me think of the blood that flowed through those veins.

I hate blood, the look, the smell, if it didn't keep me alive I wouldn't want anything to do with it at all.

"Bella please, this is crucial."

I found myself unable to deny Edward, as idiotic as I felt, "He said, he said Billy and Jake thought it could save their tribe. I could bring something to future generations."

I couldn't bring myself to bring up the blood or the warnings about Edward's family that Charlie had also mentioned in the dream.

It was only a stupid dream, likely brought on by whatever happy drug Edward had shot me up with to get me here.

I felt a sudden jarring movement as Edward's body begin to fidget on the bed and I wished he would let me turn on the lights, if only so I could figure out if he was serious or yanking my chain with all of this.

"He wants to _breed_ with you?"

I felt Edward's revulsion present in each one of his words.

He didn't sound like he was yanking my chain.

"Well . . ._in my dream_," I tried to emphasis the dream part, "Charlie made it sound like he wanted to get married. I don't exactly remember the term breeding."

"With dogs its always breeding. Ugh! We can't stay here. Will you come back to my house with me? Bella can you trust me?"


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns everything Twilight, any direct and indirect references to the book are an intentional tie in. I know this and do not take credit for them.

Author's Note: Thanks to my readers and reviewers. I was hoping to keep this story in strictly Bella's POV but Edward insisted he be represented.

CHAPTER 12 – _Edward_

I looked across at the bed at the scared doe, whose brown eyes has widened enormously at my question.

Could she trust me?

I hoped Bella Swan could learn to put her faith in me. . .soon.

I fingered the hypodermic needle in my pocket nervously. I had other means of getting her to my house if push came to shove, but I really didn't want to rely on the drugs again. I needed her to trust me. . .

Why? Why did I need her to trust me?

Emmett would ask if Emmett were here, and in all honesty, it was a valid question. I would argue it would be easier to eliminate our little Wolf friends, protect the deepest secret of Forks and maybe convince Bella to help our beloved Alice.

I would however only be saying half truths to Emmett, much like the stunning woman across the bed was wasn't telling me everything about her dream. Just because I couldn't read her mind, didn't mean I couldn't see her needless fidgeting during the conversation, of her abrupt pauses, or the endearing way she nibbled at the corner of her left lip nervously.

It didn't matter she omitted everything. I pretty much could guess the Charlie dream frightened the shit out of her. If she needed some breathing room, I would give it to her, at least as long as I could.

I hadn't, we hadn't been given the luxury of easing Charlie Swan into his situation and he in turn lost pretty much his whole life.

Just twelve years ago, Charlie Swan had been approached by our sweet sweet Alice because of a dream she had, a dream that involved his dearest oldest friend Billy Black kidnapping his daughter. Alice couldn't see exactly when or exactly how yet, but she was so positive it would happen that she bypassed the normal channels, she to Jasper, Jasper to me and me to Carlisle, because she felt that urgency was a must. She felt an unexplainable kinship to Bella – she claimed, at the time, Bella was like the sister she never had (except she had Rosalie and Bella was four – but no one ever argued with Alice's dreams).

Twelve short years ago Alice had went to the police station where Charlie Swan, as if fate itself intervened, was alone, drinking his morning coffee, reading his morning paper and contemplating a dream he himself had the night before with his long dead grandfather, Jeb Swan. In Charlie's dream, which he had relayed to Alice that very day, before the confrontation in the woods, Jeb had told Charlie the truth of the Swan family. Jeb had talked about Forks and Charlie had listened intently, because he had always respected his grandfather immensely. Jeb talked about how the first Swans had been accused of witchcraft and had migrated to the woods of Washington to withdraw from the society that mistrusted them. Charlie had heard all these claims before, having been dragged to enough family reunions in the past, but this time the story had taken a new twist. This time old Jeb didn't say they were allegations and made up stories, he in fact said the Swans, starting with Sadie and going down to Bella were in fact just as powerful as the old settlers had alleged. He had said the magic wasn't something he or his daughter could manipulate anymore, the elders deciding to let the instruction go so to "be normal", but the magic was something that could be manipulated by others. The others, the manipulators were coming, because old Jeb said Bella was radiating an almost supernatural distress signal.

Charlie had nothing but respect for his grandfather but it was a dream, a confusing, god awful disturbing dream and he wished he could just let it go.

Except Alice Cullen was now in front of him, her small frame vibrating with energy, negative energy. She had flew threw the door, and leaped over his desk, her two small white fist grabbing his shirt collar and now he couldn't stop thinking of that dream.

"Fix it Charlie, if you don't Billy will take Bella and when the wolves get her we are all screwed."

Charlie had stared at Alice, and I know this because I've seen this scene in her head a thousand times since that day, with a look of horror. Not because it was crazy Alice Cullen holding him hostage, because on a primal, subconscious level Charlie Swan knew Alice Cullen was making perfect sense.

"Don't know what your talking about young lady, should I call your dad?"

Charlie had raised his hands to attempt to pry Alice off his shirt, but realized second handedly his hands were shaking to hard to obey the request. Charlie knew, because Jeb had warned him. Bella was special. Bella was particularly strong. And now Alice Cullen, the one rumored to be able to see the future, was relying the same message.

"I don't know anything about any wolves Ms. Cullen." Charlie had finally managed to grasp Alice's hands, which were ice cold.

"But you know Billy Black has always had an unusual fascination with your daughter. Don't deny what the town witnessed last Forth of July."

Last Forth of July the town of Forks, Washington had their annual parade and picnic. In usual Bella Swan fashion, his beloved daughter, marching with her beloved Daisy Scout troop had tripped over her own two feet, landing on her knees and scrapping them up awfully good. Both he and Renee had run to scoop her up, having been following close behind, but out of no where both Billy Black and Dr. Carlisle Cullen had beat them to it. Carlisle had immediately picked young Bella up, but Billy, had wheeled his chair directly in front of the doctor stopping his retreat. Before anyone had time to react, Billy had clasped young Bella's leg and licked the blood drying from her wound. Carlisle had promptly pulled Bella from Billy's grasp, but by then the act had been done.

"Billy wanted to clean the wound."

"You don't believe that." Alice Cullen, with the eerie gold eyes that seemed to run in her family, stared disbelieving at him, "You and I both know that is the worst explanation on the planet. He was testing her because he is more then a Native American from a nearby tribe."

Charlie had squirmed under Alice's scrutiny, "Rumor has it your family has an awful lot of dead animal carcasses on their property. One might say you aren't all you are pretending to be either."

"Maybe so Chief Swan, but we have taken an oath to not harm anyone. Can't say the same about Billy Black."

* * * *

"I trust you Edward."

My head turned toward the voice, I hadn't even realized I had let my mind wander. Again those big doe eyes were attempting to look at me, unable to focus on me as well as I could see her.

"Good."

Impulsively I jumped off the bed and pulled her up next to me. I could hear the increase rhythm of her heart as our bodies pressed into each other. Seemed Ms. Swan had developed a slight attraction to me in our time apart. This could prove to be helpful I supposed, when I needed her help, especially with Alice.

However, at the moment, I was finding myself eerily attracted to her as well, which probably was counter productive. I tried to concentrate how she looked the day I put her in her mother's car twelve years ago. I tried to remember the young girl, with the scraped up knees, innocent brown eyes and shaking bottom lip, trying to figure out what her mommy was taking her on a trip without her father.

"Whose outside Edward?"

Her voice was frightened but to my dismay sexy. God help me, finding sexiness right now, with her, was beyond sinful. Talk about wrong time, wrong place, wrong girl.

"Jacob's pack."

"They won't hurt me."

"No, your probably right, but they would love to tear me limb from limb right about now."

I heard a deep breath and then felt her head lean into my chest. Seemed the dark was no longer disabling Bella from locating me.

She smelled divine. Carlisle had tried to warn me not to get to close to her, but I had assumed she couldn't possibly smell any differently then she had as a child, which had been uncomfortable but controllable. I was painfully wrong.

"Jacob doesn't look human right now, does he?"

She was sniveling, but only slightly. I wanted so bad to turn on the lights and see how she truly was taking this. However, once Jacob could see exactly where we were, we were nothing more then sitting ducks. And once Jacob had me out of the way. . . it was only a matter of time before he commenced his pursuit of Bella.

In hindsight I should have brought Jasper and Emmett, even Rosalie was good in a fight. But I hadn't wanted to scare Bella, I had wanted to do things gently. (I had wanted a few moments with her to myself).

"Don't laugh. . .is Jacob a werewolf? Is Charlie one too?"

She sounded like she wanted me to laugh. I bet she did.

"Yes."

Surprisingly she didn't cry, or act out anyway to my omission.

"Are you?"

"God no." I let a wave of disgust taint my words. If she only knew what an insult that was.

"But you like blood. . .my blood?"

Ahh. . .so their was more to the dream. Apparently Charlie felt a need to communicate _everything_ to his daughter. Apparently, he wasn't going to make this easy on me.

I suppose my family deserved that.

"I don't not like blood."

God did this have to come up right now with a pack full of wolves likely circling in for the kill.

"Okay. . .how do we get out of here?"

My jaw dropped as Bella wiped restlessly at forehead, "At least your honest, which is more then I can say about most people I've met today. I guess we can broach the subject of blood later."


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns everything Twilight, any direct and indirect references to the book are an intentional tie in. I know this and do not take credit for them.

A/N: I didn't give up – my muse took a different direction, my health took a real different direction (pretty serious but hopefully on the mend now) and my hopes of finding a co-author fizzled last minute. Doesn't matter – I'm back now – hopefully I haven't lost my few loyal readers in my absence.

CHAPTER 13 – BPOV

Edward's pacing had increased tenfold as the night progressed, making the man resemble less like the person I met just shy of twenty-four hours ago and more like a caged and rabid tiger at the zoo. I could barely make out his form in the darkness that enveloped the room but Edward's nervous energy was making up for my lack of vision. I knew exactly where he was at every moment by the sheer electricity he emitted, sending out his presence to me like sonar. It would be creepy if it wasn't kinda cool. Why Edward had this effect on me was curious to say the least.

"This is ridiculous Edward, we are going out the front door."

"No." He hissed.

"Yes." I tried to sound convincing, failing horribly.

Firmly I let my hand go out to where he was and I was rewarded when my fingertips grazed the back of his hand stopping his pacing dead in its tracks, "I am sick of sitting here in the dark listening to us breath. Jacob isn't going to let anything happen to me, right? And I am not going to let anything happen to you."

The mention of Jacob caused another menacing hiss escape from Edward's mouth. He really seemed to have issues with Jacob.

The two of us, Edward and I, had been going round and round for over an hour now, bouncing ideas of how we were going to execute our necessary escape out of my house and back to his. Well, actually, I bounced ideas off and he proceeded to tell me how ludicrous and dangerous each and every of my ideas were. Only once did my mystery savior contribute an idea which had crazily involved him and I jumping from my upstairs window to the nearby tree, which Edward had made his entrance on. He was convinced (but he was crazy so take that how you will), that he could make the monumental feat with me attached to his back. He was so confident that I almost believed him to0 (almost), until we opened the window and viewed the terrifying sight below us.

Werewolves in movies had nothing on the herculean beast pacing outside the perimeter of my house. The opening of the window had immediately provoked what looked to be twenty or thirty mammoth man-sized dogs encircling the area like guards on duty and we were serenaded immediately by loud snapping jaws and earsplitting howls.

I used my veto immediately to Edward's "Operation Spider Monkey". Edward Cullen might be a calming individual but he wasn't a superhero. . .at least I didn't think so.

"Ughh!"

I threw myself back onto my bed, ready to spend the night in limbo when suddenly a loud crash came from outside.

The mood in the room, the tension, thickened tenfold by the sudden racket.

I jumped up and went to my window deciding it was better to know my fate then sit my idly waiting.

I felt Edward's tense presence immediately behind me. I reached for the window, but the cool hand of Edward stopped my hand from completing the task of lifting the shade open.

"Didn't you hear that? Aren't you curious if the dogs are launching some sort of attack?"

Dog launching an attack, only in Forks would that not be a laughing matter but more so a terrifying prospect. Where was good old Snoopy when you needed him.

"Shh. . ." Edward tensed and I felt the muscle's in his chest tighten from where they were pressed firmly against my back. I strained my ears. It sounded as if someone was revving an engine from outside.

"Do they drive?" I shrieked in disbelief.

Edward snaked an arm around my waist, instead of answering and hoisted me over his shoulder in one fluid movement.

"Excuse me?" I tried not to sound breathless at the sudden intimate action.

Dogs Bella, remember plotting, evil, potentially driving werewolf dogs.

"I . . .I can't believe it."

Edward voice rang out in my direction but somehow I didn't think he was talking to me but to himself. I tried not to take this personally, at least we were moving rather than waiting to become kibble. . .(well Edward kibble. . .me. . .worse).

Taking liberties with my incapacitated state, Edward ran across the room, hopped over my bed (a twin bed, but still pretty damn impressive considering I was over one shoulder), out the door and to the top of the stairs.

"Are you particularly fond of this house?"

His questioned sounded almost jovial and I lifted my head up trying to think of some witty response back, perhaps something about my evil father kinda quashing all my warm fuzzy feelings, when a truck came barreling through the front door. Yes, a truck, Jeep, just crashed through my front door, lights blazing, engine roaring.

Yes this day could most definitely get weirder.

"Edward?"

My companion and current chauffeur of sorts ran down the stairs and I watched in half amazement half bewilderment the passenger side of the door fling open. As if in an action movie, Edward effortlessly flung me inside the awaiting vehicle before squeezing in next to me.

I lifted my head up expecting maybe Edward's father or brother I had met earlier. However there was a different pale face golden eyed individual staring back at me. . . a female, just as startling beautiful but this time not a stranger, a friend.

"Alice." I whispered in disbelief.

"Alice?" Edward, who I had all but forgotten in the moment, to enthralled by my Alice, live and in the flesh, sounded equally as shocked by her sudden, almost magical appearance.

"No time to explain, to either of you, let's get home. I didn't exactly tell Jasper I was leaving or tell Emmett I was liberating his Jeep so there will likely be some angry family member awaiting our arrival. I guess maybe I'm hoping with Bella around I won't get to much of a hard time"

Alice. How in the hell could I be staring at Alice? And boy was she a lot shorter and more petite then I remembered, granted I hadn't let myself think of her in years.

"Alice, you haven't told anyone anything in years? Your talking now?" Edward voice wavered between disbelief and awe. I wondered idly how in the world my mystery man could know Alice, see Alice. . . my Alice. My imaginary friend Alice who had been my only companion through each and every move with my mother through my crazy childhood years. My Alice who read to me every night, wiped my tears when I cried for my missing father and helped me try to make sense of a fire that started, a fire at the local bully's clubhouse. . .a fire I had dreamed so vividly about the night before. Alice had told me not to worry and because Alice was never wrong, I never gave it another thought.

I hadn't allowed myself to think of Alice in years. She had once told me I had great potential. . .but I had always assumed maybe she had been a product of a lonely child with an overactive imagination. I had even convinced myself that fire had been just a coincidence, but now that Alice was here, like really here, in front of me, in Forks. . .how was it possible? And more importantly, what could it mean?

Was I just as crazy as everyone else.


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns everything Twilight, any direct and indirect references to the book are an intentional tie in. I know this and do not take credit for them.

A/N: To my readers who haven't left – thank you. To my readers who are confused – well that's what I am shooting for, one of those stories that keep you confused until the end. However, please don't hesitate to review if it gets to the point the story's chaotic "keep you guessing" premise stops being entertaining and just gets tedious. I promise I have an outline, however I have been guilty of getting distracted. ;)

CHAPTER 14 – EPOV

Alice

My little sister, who hadn't left her room in almost a decade, my sister who hasn't uttered a sound except for earsplitting screams and off the wall chatter at random intervals, my little sister who paced incessantly for days on end till we had to physically restrain her for fear of her wearing out her shoes or the floorboards of her room, was now, miraculously, impossibly, sitting just right across from me. My little Alice, dark brown hair perfectly messy and all, was driving, talking, smiling and attempting to plow down werewolves with Emmett's beloved Jeep as if it was just another day . . .

Despite the frenzy of the situation, I found myself aching to grab my elfin sister, lovingly dubbed sleeping beauty by my family, and crush her to my chest demanding to know how this was possible? Why now? And most importantly is it forever, is she really back? Did we really not have to go to the lengths we were lead to believe to bring her back? Did I not need to ask Bella the impossible favor I had been dreading after all?

Could I get Bella out of Forks and assure her safety? Was she really not a necessary pawn to this whole debacle.

"Alice."

Bella's voice, a mixture of calm and adoration, mouthed my sister's name almost lovingly from where she sat on my lap, my arm securing her in place.

Bella wouldn't know Alice, couldn't know Alice. Alice's accident, Charlie's accident and Bella's expulsion from Forks had happened so long ago. Bella didn't remember me from that day, when I had aided her mother by buckling her into her mother's backseat so that she could exit Forks safely, it was then highly improbable Bella would remember Alice from before that day, if she had run into her as a child (especially since Alice hasn't physically aged). Since that day, Alice hadn't been in any shape to ever have any contact with Bella.

How in the world had she known Alice's name?

I stole another glance at Bella, young vibrant Bella, and was warranted with her shining eyes almost drinking my sister's presence in greedily, similarly to how she had initially viewed Charlie upon her return to town. . .like a reunion, a blessed reunion.

"Alice?" My voice, barely recognizable, crackled. As unlikely as I would have imagined mere minutes ago, Alice was apparently key to something.

"No time to explain, to either of you, let's get home. I didn't exactly tell Jasper I was leaving or tell Emmett I was liberating his Jeep so there will likely be some angry family member awaiting our arrival. I guess maybe I'm hoping with Bella around I won't get to much of a hard time"

My sister answered loftily and I watched my beloved Sleeping Beauty cock an eyebrow and give me her most winning, all knowing smile. She of course knew everything I was determined to ask her and apparently she was going to make me wait until she wanted to answer.

It would be maddening if it wasn't so Alice and god I had missed Alice.

"Alice, you haven't told anyone anything in years? Your talking now?"

I knew she already anticipated the question but I felt the need to express it anyway. Partially to convince myself this wasn't a hallucination of sorts. If it wasn't for Bella's mouthwatering presence on my lap I might think I was dreaming the whole damn thing.

Bella shifted on my lap as we bottomed out over a ravine, bouncing around the cabin of the vehicle like a ping pong, (well Bella was bouncing, it took a lot more to move something like Alice and I). We weren't headed the normal way home and I was curious to say the least what exactly Alice had up her sleeve. The fact she was navigating the roads flawlessly despite her many years of being housebound was unreal – she may have an iron clad memory but things lately around the town had been changing. . .a lot.

"Alice, how?"

I was momentarily pulled back into the immediate situation at the sound of Bella, beautiful delectable Bella, once again talking to my sister, talking to my sister on a first name basis, talking to my sister like she was a good friend.

"Crazy huh? I told you I'd always be there kiddo."

Kiddo???

"You two know each other?"

The tires suddenly squealed as Alice slammed her foot on the brakes. Thankfully Bella was secured in my arms and was only thrown against my bicep rather then through the windshield, which would have been her fate without my forward thinking.

"God your like stone." Bella muttered, attempting to rub her side where she had been pressed into my arm.

Guiltily I loosed my grip on her. I found myself curiously not wanting to loosen my grip, but there were more pressing issues.

"Alice?"

My sister released her hold on the steering wheel, and I turned to look outside, only noting now that we were not at home but in fact stopped in front of a local mom and pop convenience store just five or so miles from our house.

"Give Bella money Edward, she needs water and some sugar before the gravity of the situation hits her and she faints." Alice urged in a matter-of-fact tone, tipping her head in my direction, urging me.

"I'll go in with her."

Alice laid a light hand against my shoulder, "No, you will stay here, I will stay here, she will be fine."

Curiously I looked at my sister before looking at Bella, who still seemed to be eying Alice like a personal savior at this point. I didn't know why, but I almost expected Bella to lean over and hug my sister at any moment. (And I couldn't recall the last time Alice had fed, so Bella's scent mixed with Alice's hunger could be a very bad situation that I would be smack dab in the middle of).

"Bella" I started.

Bella, acting annoyed by my verbal intrusion, turned from Alice to me, "Yeah, if Alice wants me to get water and a candy bar I will. You never bet against Alice."

Huh?

I looked at Alice, who at this point was looking like she was going to lean over and pull my wallet from my back pocket herself.

"Okay, I guess I am outnumbered."

Shifting Bella from my left leg more to my right, I grabbed my wallet and silently handed Bella a twenty.

Bella, looking at Alice the whole time, grabbed the money.

"You'll be fine Bella-boo, just stay away from the peanuts. I don't know if Carlisle has an epi-pen at the house, my family doesn't have much use for one."

Alice laughed and to my surprise I heard a soft chuckle escape from Bella, "Is Edward part of your family? Is Edward. . .?"

"In time Bella," Alice said cutting her off mid-sentence.

Bella nodded before turning to the door. I opened the handle and she slipped out.

Silently my sister and I watched the girl, no woman Bella Swan go into the store. After tonight I would say any traces of her girlhood were now gone.

"Well you've got some explaining to do." I said, finally turning to my sister, "Because I'm feeling lost to say the least."

I watched Alice nod, her eyes still focused on the door of the store, "Its going to be hard to hear Edward."

"I'm listening." I said anxiously.

I heard Alice sigh, her shoulders slump slightly, "I'm not really here."

Finally tearing her eyes away from the storefront she turned to face me.

My breath, my useless breath, hitched in my throat. My sister wasn't solid, her presence was shimmery (and not sunshine shimmery either), almost transparent.

"Al?"

"Sorry big brother." Alice laid a hand on my leg and I was surprised to discover I didn't feel any pressure from the action at all, "She conjured me. I'm a girl without a body that Bella miraculously dreams of and brings out in moments of high stress and need."

What?

"Your going to have to drive home, it took a lot out of Bella to make me corporeal enough to liberate Emmett's vehicle and her power is straining. I wasn't kidding when I said she may faint."

What??

"Alice, your. . .a ghost?"

I wanted to laugh at the absurdity of my question but the way my sister looked at me at the moment, I couldn't. Not only was she giving me that look that said, "Aren't you listening to me?", I could also see the driver's door through her body.

"I think Bella is more powerful than Carlisle originally thought. I think Bella is. . .amazing."

I sighed, the corner of my eye catching the brown haired Bella Swan exiting the store. She had already cornered amazing in my mind, but this, if it was true, was beyond everything.

"Alice how are we going to explain this all to her?"

I looked again at the driver's seat but now, my sister, or whatever had been occupying that seat, was gone.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N - Thanks you for all the responses - kind or confused I eat them all up. (And yes, I am sort of going for confusion - I love it). Real life (medical and kids - ugh!) doesn't allow me time to respond to much but questions, but all feedback is appreciated and makes me blush like Bella.

I was just alerted by a friend that this story is on the preliminary list for a indie twilight fiction award _the__**indie**_to my secret nominator - thank you thank you thank you. You made my week (especially since the hubby so totally doesn't get this fanfic thing).

Sorry for the lapse in time in updating

Chapter 15

EPOV

I was still staring like a fool at the now empty driver's side of the Jeep when Bella arrived, only being alerted when I heard the sharp intake of her oh-so-sweet breath.

"Where is she?"

The question from Bella's lips almost sounded like an accusation hurdled at me, as if I stole Alice from her when really she . . .oh never mind there wasn't a reason to even go down there at this point.

"Gone."

"Obviously." The bitterness of Bella's voice was harsh, but allowed me to brake out of my stupor.

"We should go."

Finally lifting my head away from my left I turned to face Bella. Holding a diet coke in one hand and a bag of Doritos in the other she looked almost comically normal, like she belonged anywhere but here. But of course looks could be deceiving.

Upon closer inspection however, Bella's brown eyes were all to telling of the fatigue Alice had warned me of. Her pale lids were heavily hooding her once bright eyes.

I immediately felt an unusual tug of remorse. This girl had lived a lifetime worth of adventure in a day. She wasn't a superhuman, despite it all she was she was still bound by human restraints such as eating, sleeping and processing of which, today, she likely had little to none.

"Where are we going?"

Her voice asked, now only a hint of bitterness remaining in her voice, replaced now by a longing I knew all to well.

"My house again. The wolves wouldn't dare show up there."

"Will Alice be there?"

Wow, that question wasn't totally out of left field but completely loaded. How do I answer that? Did I even know? My guess is my Alice would be there, who apparently wasn't the Alice she knew and loved. My Alice, a hallow mute mannequin with eyes that looked no where. My Alice who so obviously was not what drove the jeep that saved us.

My hand hovered over the key hanging from the ignition. Do I dare take her home to the horror of my house. If she even breathed Alice's name Jasper would pounce and I truly doubted even I could hold him off. If he had any inkling she could conjur (I barely belived it, even after seen the aprehension myself) Alice, he wouldn't leave her be.

We needed Bella, but willingly, Carlisle and I were sure.

"Bella tell me about your relationship with Alice."

I let my eyes drift to my right where I saw her stiffen in my perhiperal vision. I noted a blush rise to her cheeks, a crimison that made her otherwise pallor complexion glow.

For a moment the vision on her so unguarded was simply breathtaking. . .thank god I had no breath to take.

"I'd rather not. I'm actually a little shocked to have seen her here at all. I mean she was there, sitting next to us, right?

Bella turned away from where she was staring ahead towards me and I felt her small hand reach out to my chin. Without saying anything, she turned my face toward her.

"She was there, right Edward?"

The terror in her face stunned me. The quiver of her bottom lip both enthralled and frightened me. I had no idea how to answer her, define 'there' Bella seemed like a cruel question and a cop out.

"Because when I saw her there it all made sense, she was always there as a child when I needed her so her being here now was the most normal thing that had happened to me all day. Call it adrenaline or maybe just a fear induced stupor, but I didn't question her presence. But after, when I was away from her, in the store, it dawned on me that I haven't seen Alice since elementary school and well.. .there is the little fact that she was an imaginary friend, fictional. If I saw her sitting in this truck then I am as crazy as my father, but if you saw her. . .fuck how the hell did you see my imaginary friend and how did she drive this very real vehicle.

The tremble in her lip increased and a very foreign feeling pulsed through my body. I barely knew this girl but her obvious fear made me ache inside. A longing tingled through my hands to wrap her into my embrace, a very real urge reverberated through my feet to push down on the gas pedal to get us out of here, away from Forks, away from everything that caused her this obvious pain she was in. A phantom beat in a long dead heart told me I would die again if this girl's safety called me to do so. I was unsettled by these very un-Edward like feelings, and on top of this, I now needed to deal with the very real issue of answering a question that had no answer so this girl, who entrapped me in mere hours. wouldn't get out of this car and attempt to leave me.

I could not let her leave me.

"I saw her."

I cringed awaiting the onslaught of questions were to follow.

"But how?"

"Honestly I don't know."

I saw her eyebrow arch in disbelief and her body go rigid. It didn't take a mind reading to see she didn't trust me. Obviously by the fact of knowing answering she assumed I had more answers to give.

"The girl who drove us, rescused us, looked like my sister." I noted her posture relax as I began to open up, "My sister is named Alice, however my sister was in an accident and hasn't left our family home in many years. Alice's accident was the same accident that your father was injured in, the wolves were involved in, and it was the same day your mother took you away from Forks."

"What? How?" I heard her voice stutter as she attempted to understand something which was quite literally impossible to understand.

Impuslively I took her hand, reveling in its warmth. I think I might be developing an infatuation with this young woman who I tried to save as a child. And because I didn't save her and because I brought her back to hell, it was only fair I tell her all I know and hope she can help. God help us all if Bella Swan doesn't understand.

"Bella, believe it or not we have met before."


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: Twilight is not mine - it belongs to Stephanie Meyer. I profit from nothing I write.

Thanks to all who voted for me in the indie twilight awards. Do to real life this story doesn't get the attention I set out to give it, so it means a great deal that so many are still aboard my crazy train ;)

Chapter 16

BPOV

I watched Edward rake his fingers through his unruly copper locks. This time, however, my hormones were in check and the action only caused minor flutters in my chest. I couldn't (or more specifically wouldn't) allow myself to get infatuated with the eye candy in front of me right now. There were things more important then the cover model who abducted me, things I had been waiting for my whole life. . .answers. And finally someone was going to give me some of those answers, the brass ring was finally within my grasp.

This was a thrilling moment in my life to say the least.

"Eat your Doritos."

Edward eyes stared blankly in front of him and my adrenaline fell a couple of notches at his half-hearted command. Stalling, Edward was stalling, something my mother had done for decades, consequently making me an expert at sensing the bullshit.

I refused to allow this to happen to me again.

"When did we meet?" I prompted, refusing to fall for his distraction.

A heavy grunt came from the drivers side. I wasn't sure if she was going to answer.

"The day of Charlie's accident."

The Coke bottle, which I had just begun to raise to my lips stopped short and hung in mid-air as his half whispered response registered. If he had said we had met any other date, I would have easily believed him, my time in Forks only a handful of memory snippets. But that day, the day of Charlie's mysterious accident, I was pretty sure of all the events. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt I hadn't left the house, I hadn't met any young boy my age. I was painting then I was whisked into my mother's car by a stranger.

Could Edward have been with the mysterious neighbor who had put me into my mother's car? Had Edward's father put me into my mother's car and I had been to distracted by everything to note the young boy with him. I had noted Carlisle had been unusually pale when I met him earlier today. . .

"I don't remember you?" I whispered

Edward rolled his shoulders and then turned to me, finally ending his staring contest with nothing.

"Are you sure Bella, think back to that day long and hard. "

Not wanting to whine, I did what he asked and thought back. But, I was sure of everything that happened beyond a shadow of any doubt, having lived that day over and over in my mind. There were no play dates, no close by kids in the neighborhood, only the unknown neighbor with the cold hands. . .cold hands like Edward. . .

But Edward was my age, maybe a hair older, but certainly not old at the time to have buckled me into my carseat.

"There was my father, my mother, me and a neighbor who helped me into the car. Were you with that neighbor? If you were, I'm sorry, I just don't remember you there."

Through this conversation Edward said nothing, but watched me as if waiting for some great deduction that I was obviously not making. His gold eyes almost expectantly gazed at me for some response I wasn't giving him."

"Edward, just tell me." I finally uttered in exasperation

"Perhaps a better question should be was I that neighbor, of which my answer would be yes."

Shocked, I looked at him awaiting a punch line. Was this crazy Edward coming back for an encore appearance? Maybe I should have stayed with the wolves.

"That's impossible, you would have been a child."

"I would have?" Edward snorted and for a moment his arrogant tone irked me. I wasn't in the mood to be fucked with at the moment. I thought I was getting somewhere and now I wondered if I was just being played.

"Of course you would have, I'm not a fool, I have eyes, I can see. You and I are not similar in age, you were a child the day of my father's accident, like I was a child. Now do you have answers or should I just leave?"

My hand went to the door.

Edward leaned over my body to place his hand over my own.

Again with the cold hands. But, so what if he and this mysterious man both had a body temperature regulation problem, fact was he still couldn't have been that man. It just wasn't logical to even humor.

"Bella, did we not just come from a house surrounded by werewolves, did you not just mere hours ago ask me if your father was a werewolf? Really in the scheme of it all, me alleging to have been the person who assisted your mother in escaping this wretched town be the most unbelievable thing you've encountered thus far on your return home?"

Score one for Cullen there and I felt my tense arm relax some.

I wasn't really buying this-was I? Really, had my brain liquefied and run out of my ears when I had been distracted. My reaction was not normal - even if it illogically felt right.

"That's impossible"

My words lacked believability, even to me, and they were coming from my very mouth. Its official, I was finding reasoning in this crazy man's words, I was just as crazy as everyone else.

"How?" I asked, wanting him to at any point tell me he was high or something. I could handle high, hell I might even join him.

"I don't age."

"Okay," the answer drawled out as I tried to think of what he could possibly say.

My mind was stuck, so instead of asking the billion of questions frozen on the tip of my tongue I instead implored him with what I hoped a look to convey the questions I couldn't.

I saw Edward take a deep breath, his hands clenching the steering wheel with such force I could have sworn I heard a crack in the plastic.

What could he possibly say to make this day any weirder.

"I'm dead Bella, or more specifically, I am a vampire."

Vampire. Weirder. . .

"Your crazy. First it was Jacob and my father are werewolves, and now you're a vampire. . .okay Edward you've lost me at this point. I think its time for Bella to leave."

I again reached for the door.

"There is more, I might as well be honest with you at this point. The Alice that saved us was a ghost, conjured by a very _very_ powerful witch."

"Witch, whose that, Rosalie?"

A shadow of a smile flitted over Edward's face before he composed the serious look back, "No Bella Swan, the witch is you."


End file.
